As everyone pounded on the barrier, Uta kept singing. When the tremor happened again Marcus paid close attention to the monster that flickered in and out of existence above them. A few moments after the tremor finished, Benn landed next to everyone before he asked, "What the hell is going on here?"
Marcus glanced back at Benn as he said, "We need to get Uta to stop singing before she summons that monster completely."
Benn looked at Uta, she stood rigidly and her eyes were lifeless as she sang. He pushed against the barrier to test it, but even though it was soft, it didn't budge at all. He then pulled back and punched the barrier with everything he had. When the barrier didn't respond at all Benn frowned.
As another tremor shook the area Marcus said, "Watch out for the monster above Uta."
Benn glanced up and his blood ran cold as the monster flickered into existence again. It was large, easily thirty feet tall and about double that wide if it spread out its arms. The creature's red ghoulish face with its twisted grin made Benn's skin crawl when it focused on him. He quickly pulled out his gun on his waist and shot the creature, only for the bullet to fly through its head.
Its face didn't change but Benn swore the monster seemed to be gloating at him. A moment later the tremor stopped and it disappeared again. Marcus, who never stopped pounding on the barrier, said, "Try to shoot the barrier."
Benn studied the barrier for a moment before he aimed his gun at the barrier. He made sure it was facing away from Uta before he pulled the trigger. The barrier actually responded this time and deformed slightly but quickly reformed a moment later as the bullet dropped to the ground.
Benn frowned slightly as he shot the barrier a couple more times in a row. The barrier deformed with each bullet but quickly reformed to its original state. As Benn started to reload his gun he said, "This might work, but we will need more guns."
"Try hitting it with haki." Marcus said as he continued to punch on the barrier.
Benn was caught off guard and looked over to Marcus as he asked, "What?"
Marcus shared a glance with Benn as he said, "Haki. I assumed you could use it."
"How do you know about that?"
"My grandpa is Garp." Marcus said with a shrug as if that explained everything.
Ace, who was close by, asked, "What are you talking about?"
"I'll explain it later, keep punching." Marcus said.
Benn watched Marcus as he reloaded his gun before he placed it back in his belt. He then pulled back his hand and concentrated his haki into his fist. Marcus watched closely but didn't notice anything as Benn slammed his fist into the barrier. While it looked like a normal punch, the barrier actually reacted and deformed greatly.
Marcus smiled at the sight before he said, "Great, keep going!"
Before the barrier could reform, Benn punched the barrier again in the same spot. This time it didn't deform as much but tiny cracks formed around the area. Benn smashed into a few more times and the cracks spread across the barrier with each hit. As Benn pulled back for another blow, another tremor shook the area and the monster appeared again.
It let out a musical note filled growl as it swiped its arm down at Benn. Benn, who was mid swing when it happened, didn't have a chance to dodge. Marcus who stood next to Benn reacted instead and jumped in front of the attack to block it.
As Benn's fist smashed into the barrier, the monster's hand slammed into Marcus. The barrier shattered into pieces at the same time Marcus felt pain explode across his back. Marcus's timely block and Benn's forward momentum caused the monster to miss its original target as its arm swiped past by.
Benn stumbled forward next to Uta as Marcus flew across the room and slammed into the wall. The monster let out a frustrated scream of music notes as Benn grabbed Uta and covered her mouth. As soon as Uta stopped singing, the monster flickered once before it disappeared with a wail.
As Uta collapsed into Benn's arms, Ace, Sabo and Luffy yelled out, "Marcus!"
They all ran quickly to where Marcus was and found him covered in blood as he inhaled a ragged breath. Ace who arrived first kneeled down next to Marcus as he said, "You idiot! What do you think you were doing?"
Marcus's eyes were hazy and unfocused as he asked in a shaky voice, "Is. Uta. Okay?"
Benn, who just arrived and held Uta in a princess carry said, "Yeah, she's just passed out."
"Good." Marcus said as he smiled slightly before his eyes shut and his body completely collapsed.
"Marcus!" His three concerned brothers yelled out.
"Let me carry him, we need to get him to a doctor." Gordon said as he moved closer to Marcus.
vvvvv
Marcus awoke to a gentle humming coming from somewhere next to him. His eyes slowly opened and as he tried to look around he couldn't see anything properly, everything was blurry. He attempted to clean the sleep from his eyes, but found he couldn't move his arms at all.
He then tried to say something but only a horse croak escaped his parched throat. The humming immediately stopped and an excited voice said, "Marcus, you're awake! Hold on, I'll get Hongo."
Marcus saw a blurr leave the room and after a few minutes a stream of blurs entered the room as he heard his brothers say, "Marcus, you're finally up!"
"Hey, get back, let me check him over first." A man said before Marcus felt someone touching his chest.
The man touched certain places on his upper body and after a few minutes he said, "His collapsed lung seems to be healing properly. You can talk with him for a little while, but afterwards he needs to rest."
A blurry face instantly appeared over his face and said, "Marcus you missed over nine meals!"
The face was pulled away as Ace said, "Shut up Luffy, he isn't you."
Marcus smiled as he attempted to say, 'Thanks for your concern Luffy.' But all that came out was a slight croak before he started to cough.
"Hold on a minute and I'll give you something to soothe your throat."
After a moment someone lifted his head slightly and helped him drink something that had a hint of lemon and honey. They did it a few more times until they said, "That should do it."
"Thank you." Marcus said in his normal yet currently weak voice.
"Don't worry about it kid. Now hurry up and talk with your brothers because I'm going to kick them out in five minutes."
"Sure thing doc." Marcus said with a hint of a smile.
Marcus tried to move his arms again and when he couldn't he asked, "Could anyone tell me why I can't move my arms and why my vision is so blurry?"
"Both of your eyes are still mostly swollen shut and your arms are broken." The man who checked out his chest said.
"Alright, that explains the dull throb I feel in them." Marcus said.
"Oh, looks like the painkillers are starting to wear off, I'll give you more after I kick everyone out."
Ace moved next to Marcus and asked, "What the hell was that? Were you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Benn was our best chance to save Uta before that thing was fully released. So I wanted to give him as much time as possible to do it." Marcus said as he tried and failed to shrug his shoulders.
"But you almost died, you idiot. Do you have any idea how much you made Luffy cry?" Ace said.
"You and Sabo cried too!" Luffy said as he tried to defend himself.
"Not as much as you, cry baby." Sabo said.
Marcus smiled before he said, "I'm sorry for making you guys worried."
"If you are, then don't do something so stupid next time." Ace said.
"Is trying to help out a friend considered stupid now?"
"It is when you almost die from it!" Ace said in a frustrated tone.
"Then I guess I'm gonna be stupid the rest of my life, because I'll gladly risk my life to help out my friends." Marcus said as a smile formed on his face.
Ace groaned before he said, "You're a bigger idiot than Luffy… Just wait till you're fully healed and then I'll beat some sense into when we spar!"
A chuckle escaped Marcus's lips before he started to cough and coughed up a little blood. Hongo started to check him over again before he said, "Alright, that's enough for today. He needs more rest."
After Hongo forced everyone out of the room he gave Marcus another dosage of painkillers and a little more of the drink to help soothe his throat before he left. Marcus quickly fell asleep after that and didn't wake up again for over a week. When he finally did it was to the gentle rocking of his bed and the sound of humming.
Marcus opened his eyes and found his vision was no longer blurry like before and he was inside one of the cabins on Shanks ship. He turned his head to the side and found Uta seated in the only chair in the room which was at a small writing desk. She was turned slightly away from the bed as she hummed to herself and wrote on some paper.
Marcus watched her for a few moments before he asked in a weak voice, "Did we leave Elegia?"
Uta jumped up from her seat as she turned around to look at Marcus and after a moment she said, "We left this morning. Hongo said you were stable and ready for travel, but you might not wake up for a few more days because of the medicine and painkillers he's been giving you."
As Marcus was about to respond, when his stomach made a loud rumble to let him know it was empty. Marcus smiled slightly as he asked, "You think Hongo will let me eat some food?"
vvvvv
A navy ship with a dog's head holding a bone in its mouth as its figurehead sailed through the second half of the Grand Line. An older man dressed in a Vice Admiral suit was asleep in a beach chair as the ship cut through the choppy waters with ease. A half eaten package of crackers still clutched in one hand as he snoored comfortably in his chair. As the ship made a large dip in the choppy water, the man was jolted awake from his sleep as his chair bounced off the deck. He looked around in confusion for a moment before he found the package of crackers in his hand and stuffed a cracker into his mouth.
As he finished off his crackers a man in a beige suit walked up to him with a newspaper and said, "You should take a look at this."
Garp waved his hand as he said, "You know I don't like to read."
"Then it's a good thing there's a picture." Bogard said as he handed the paper to Garp.
Garp reluctantly took the newspaper and glanced at the cover. It was a picture of Shanks and above it read, 'Red hair pirates destroy Elegia main concert hall!' Garp went to hand the newspaper back as he said, "It's just that red hair brat causing trouble again."
"You should look at that picture again."
Garp didn't feel like it but still opened the newspaper to take a look at it again. He studied the picture for a few moments and when he didn't notice anything about it he said, "What? It's just a picture of that brat."
"Bottom left corner."
Garp focused his gaze on that area for a few moments before his eyes almost popped out of his head as he said, "Those ungrateful little brats!"
Grap was still studying the picture as he said, "Tell the ship to turn around, I need to go to East Blue."
"We need to finish this mission first."
Garps grip tightened on the newspaper as he said, "Just wait till I get back you little brats. I'll train you till you can't even move."
"You already do that, Garp-san."